The #PWChat series continued on Tuesday, September 11, with an exciting conversation that focused on: Meeting Patients On Social Media. It was co-hosted by Mikhail Varshavski, DO, better known as “Dr. Mike.”
This chat was largely influenced by his blog post on this topic.
Be sure to check back for details!
Below are the highlights from the chat. You can read the full transcript here, by scrolling down to the corresponding responses.
Click here for a look at our #PWChat schedule and recaps.
Question 1
Q1: Why—as you write in your blog post at https://t.co/fm4w1MAgqU, @RealDoctorMike—do you feel it is rare to see evidence-based physicians with significant followings across social media?#PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) September 11, 2018
When you are unfamiliar with any subject, it becomes difficult to utilize it optimally. Social media is a relative newcomer to the world. For example, Facebook, a veteran, has only been around for just over a decade. (1/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
Also, the initial draw to social media was not professional or educational but instead personal and recreational. (2/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
For a young physician like myself who was exposed to social media at an early age, I had the opportunity to learn the intricacies and spot the untapped potential of the social platforms. (3/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
Question 2
Q2: Why do you think it is—according to the findings of a recent @AOAforDOs survey (https://t.co/eXoE0uJjPt)—that expanding physician voices into social media is desired by patients? #PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) September 11, 2018
2A. As a result of our strides in healthcare, people are living longer, and deadly illnesses are becoming chronic illnesses. Patients are getting less and less face time with their physicians as the demand for doctors is outpacing our graduation rate. (1/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
2A. This puts immense pressure on healthcare providers to do more with less time. Having doctors present on social media to answer general questions and to present quality information gives patients access to a primary source that they trust. (2/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
2A. This type of communication only serves to improve healthcare access as well as the provider-patient realtionship. (3/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
Question 3
Q3: Why do think, as a result of that same survey, the @AOAforDOs stated that expanding physician voices into social media should also be encouraged by the industry?#PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) September 11, 2018
3A. When I think about the goals of the medical industry, I think about expanding quality care/information to as many people as possible. To distribute quality information to patients empowers them to make better choices when it comes to their health. (1/2) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
Exactly!!! fueling these Social Media platforms with Health-related subjects as physicians engages people into positive and interactive discussions about their Health and other Health-related topics as well.
— N. Ukumkani, M.D. (@AchidiMd) September 11, 2018
3A. Ideally, health outcomes should improve, unnecessary utilization of emergency rooms should drop; it merely becomes a matter of keeping folks healthier and decreasing costs all around. (2/2) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
Wouldn’t that be glorious. Patients just want answers and insight, if avoiding that unnecessary ER visit is possible, I’m sure they would be pleased to accept it #pwchat
— Jamie Roger (@JamieRoger8) September 11, 2018
Question 4
Q4: Can you explain the magnitude of the missed benefits and true harms that come from a scarcity of physicians publishing on social media?#PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) September 11, 2018
4A. The most significant harm coming from a scarcity of quality physicians found online has been the emergence of pseudo-experts, whom I call IKA (I Know All) experts. (1/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
4A. Often, these *experts* will allow their marketing to far surpass the current state of evidence on a given topic. Their appeal to the limbic system pulls our patients’ attention away from proven, evidence-based treatment plans. (2/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
4A. I have lost count as to how many times one of my patients has asked me about a radical diet plan to lose 30 lbs in 30 days that they heard about on SoME. (3/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
T4 Excess death.
SoMe could help improve lifestyle changes, guide potential suicides down more beneficial outcomes, and shift from ill-care to health-care#PWChat https://t.co/wpVtK8La2v
— Matthew Loxton (@mloxton) September 11, 2018
Question 5
Q5: How can physicians use the relatively untapped potential to positively influence billions of people provided by social media to battle medical misinformation?#PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) September 11, 2018
5A. First of all, we need to create our online personas so that we have a userbase that knows who we are and where to find us. It’s great to have social media, but if you don’t have the reach, it’s not serving much of a purpose. (1/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
5A. Once we have a platform, we need to attack the misinfo head-on. We need to be aware of the social sphere as often misinformation is culturally driven. There is no shortage of requests for non-proven tests shortly after a celeb announces they have an illness. (2/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
5A. During moments of debate, we need to understand that influence is a tricky business. IKA experts will attempt to subvert quality information using emotional arguments. Being prepared for this allows you to control the dialogue and thought process. (3/3) #PWCHAT
— Dr. Mike Varshavski (@RealDoctorMike) September 11, 2018
T5 Yeah, this question.
This is the mastodon on the sofa.Global North faces MASSIVE non-communicable disease burden – so much so that the life expectancy at birth is dropping.
Use of SoMe to shift paths and nudge people is a critical component of changing this#PWChat https://t.co/7WD9jUjdXo
— Matthew Loxton (@mloxton) September 11, 2018
